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G. A. BROWN..

CanStake Holder.

Patented April 14, 1868 Wfwsaa S a GEORGE A. BROWN, [0F KALA'MAzoo,MIoHieAN.

Letters Patent No. 76,596, dated April 14, 1868.

IMPROVED GAR-STAKE HOLDER.

th n gtrhimle referrer to in ilgtfit ghttms @mt rut making part of the same.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN=- Be it known that I, GEORGE A. Bnowrr, of Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo, in the State of Michigan have invented a' new and improved Gravi tating Lock-Stake Holder for Railroad-Cars and I do hereby declare that the following ista full and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon. l l

The nature ct my invention consists in providing the sides of the car, at given distances, with two castiron circular plates, of suflicient size-and heft to "render them strong and practical, and so constructed that the one immediately next the car-beam has a rim circulating it, on to which fits and works the other outside plate, and to which -is fixed the stake-socket. This plate also has a small rim around it, andclosely fitting on the rim above mentioned, on the inner plate next the beam, from the inside of the car-beam, passes a bolt, of wrought iron, large enough to be suflicicntly strong for the purpose used, through the beam, and through holes in the centre of the two plates, and through the stake in'the socket outside, and secured by a nut Enclosed in the rim, betweenthc two plates, worksa gravitating bolt, so constructed that it falls by its ownweight into its place when raising the stake to a perpendicular position from ahorizontal one, whose use and purpose are to keep the stake in either of the above-mentioned positions, as desired.

To enable others skilled in the-art to make and usemy invention, I will proceed to more minutely describe its construction and operation.

I construct all theparts of my invention by casting from iron, via, the plates L L, and L, and combination's, the socket,.an'd its protecting-guards, and the gravitating bolt '1), as shown in accompanying drawings, at D, L L, and L, and K. 1 construct the plates L L and L with a rim circulating them, as shown at M M and F F in accompanying drawings, and in the centre of the plates a hole, 15 b, as "shown in the drawings, large enough to admit the attaching-bolt, around which, in the plate L L, above described, I raise a circular projec tion, about one' third the diameter of the plate to which it belongs, andof about the same thickness of the circular rim F F, above mentioned, as shown in the accompanying drawings at G. .In this projection, directly under the hole 6, I make an opening, from the.lower surface of the projection above described, nearly to the hole 6, and large enough to admit the upper end of the gravitating bolt'D, as shown in the accompanying draw ing at g and H. This opening, above described, I make to extend through the thickness of the circular projection to the inner surface of the plateL L, but not into it, through the rim F F on plate LL, shown -'in accompanying drawing. Directly under the opening g,.in the circular projection G above specified, I make'an opening the depth of the rim, andwidc enough to admit the gravitating bolt D at its lower end, as shown'at S in the accompanying drawing.

On the inner surface of the plate L, on the upper s de, over the hole I I construct a semicircular projection, narrow, and the ends reaching'ncarly opposite the hole 6, horizontally, as shown at E in the accompanying drawing. The use of this projection just specified is to stop the stake in a.horizontal position along the car, bear and'hold-it there by the ends striking against the gravitating bolt D in the operation of shifting the stake either to the right or left. Under the hole 6, near the rim, on the inner "surface of the plate L, I construct two catches, pointed onthe extreme ends, and separatedby an opening in the centre, directly under the hole I),

as shown in accompanying drawing at JJ'andO. The use and object of these catches above specified are to catch uhder the. shoulder on the bolt D, as hereinafter described, and raise it so that it falls into the opening, 0, when thc'stake is-raised to a'perpendicular position, and holds it there firmly, as shown at A A in accompanying drawing.

On the outer surface of the plate L, over thehole b, I construct-the stake-socket, with holes in thecentre, the size and opposite the holes b-"b, above described. over the socket I construct guards, as shown at K in accompanying drawihg, the use and object of which are to protect the nut e, as shown in the drawing, and also the stake-socket from blows in the operation. of unloading the car. The stake and the "socket I construct in the usual and known forms.

I construct the 'gravitatin'g bolt D, as shown in the accompanying drawing, as to size, in proportion to the plates L Land L, between which it works, so as to fit loosely in the opening at g in circular projections G and S in rim F F, in accompanying drawing; Near the upper end H, of the bolt D, I construct projecting semicircular arms, as shown at dd invaceompanying drawing, theme and object of which are to steady the 'gravitating bolt 1),. ancl give it additional weight. I also construct, at the lower end of the bolt D, a ball, to give it additional weight, as shown at in accompanying drawing. Immediately below the arms 61 d nbqyespecified, on the bolt 1), I make a shoulder'projeetion, as shown at I in the accompanying drawing, the use and object of which are, in the operation of raising and lowering the stake, it is raised by means of the catches .Ipassing under it, so that when the stake comes to a perpendicular position, it falls into the opening, 0, between the catches J J, as hereinbefore' specified. I

I operate my new and improved gravitating lock-stake holder for railroad-cars, above specified, as follows: I- place the gravitatingbolt Din its position on the plate L L, as above specified, and as shown in accompanying drawings, over which]; place the plate L, the inner surfaces of the plates facing each other, and put the stake into the socket on the outside of the plate L, and attachit to theear-heam by means of the bolt passing through from the inside of the beam, as shown at T in accompanying drawing. I put on a washer, made of iron, over the bolt next the socket, then screw on the nut, as shown at A A and e c in aecompanyingdrawii g. The object and aim of the washer above named are to prevent the screw from getting loose in the operation of turning the stake. I

I let the stake down to a horizontal position along the beam from a perpendicular one, by lifting up the graritating bolt D by'tho hall I, as above'tlcscribed, and shown in accompanying drawing, at the same time turning the stake Cjnbithcr direction desired, viz, from right to left, and vice oersa, till it comes horizontally along the car-beam, when the end of the r'larrow semicircular projection E strikes the'bolt D and stops it. To raise the stake to a perpendicular position, I take hold the stake 0, lift it up, when the catches'J J pass under the shoulder I on the bolt D, and raise'it till it comes over the opening, 0, when, by the attractiQriof'graVit-ation, by its own weight it is caused to fall into it, between the catches J (T, and locks it, as above'specified, and as shown in the accompanying drawings at A A on the. beam B B. The operation and working are the same, whether the stahe is raised from right'to left, or vice versa. In the operation of changing stake in the socket, I take off. the nut c, and the washer slips oil from the attaching-bolt T, the plate L, and the stake, put the stake on desired, the plate L, the washer, and nut as before. I

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- i The combination of the plates L, catches J, circular projection E, arms cl, and graritating bolt D, when constructed and arranged substantially as described and for the purpose set i'orthi GEORGE A. BROWN.

Witnesses:

OSCAR '1. Trauma, Bum: Bnunrsren. 

